An invisible web of members, expectations, behaviors, hierarchy, and language. The American Country Club in the United States has grown in many directions but maintained the same general ideologies, leadership and behaviors. Only after a recent visit to a local country club, did I realize the complex layering of leadership behind this American icon.
In an effort to paint the picture, this is what I observed.
I sat in silence watching the busy scene before me. My car muting all the noise. The young ambitious bag boys flailed their arms at each other. The back door of the kitchen swung back and forth as bags of fresh seafood were rushed in for the restaurant’s evening specials. The driving range lined with people. Golf shoes and collars unified them yet individualistic expression screamed out from one woman’s pink floral print golf skirt. The back patio peaked out from above the wandering wooden stairs as golf pros watched the driven balls. Groups of people, full of emotion, gathered here and there, forming a life size obstacle course for any who dared to try to enter the pro-shop. Yet as I opened my door, the environment was surprisingly relaxing. Although competition hung in the air like humidity clings to glass, the relief of a workday done was the overall emotion. I will admit that my family is a member at this club, but it is for this reason that I become exposed to its differences in function and leadership.
According to Fiedler’s contingency theory, it depends. There are relationship-orientated leaders and task-orientated leaders. Leadership effectiveness thus depends on the leadership style and the situation (PSU WC, 2013). Fiedler clarifies by differentiating between high LPC leaders and low LPC (least-preferred-coworker). The theory concludes that high LPC or those mainly motivated by relationships perform best in moderately favorable situations. “It has been speculated that high LPC leaders are effective in moderately favorable situations because they can smooth out relationship issues so that followers can clarify and perform their own tasks” (PSU WC, 2013). Also applying the Path-Goal Theory, many country clubs do have one head manager that is more directive in nature to the staff. This manager seems to maintain a task-orientated leadership but does not interact as much with the members. Many of the golf pros achieve the goal-path theory through achievement-oriented leadership or directive leadership. The later seems to be used for less skilled players, who need clear instruction. The rest of the staff take on a supportive role, truly concerned with the well-being and needs of the members.
Many country clubs fall victim to an overarching stereotype of snobbery and prestige. When walking through the large wooden glass doors, a member is greeted with a warm hello by name. Fran Schumer, a few years ago, wrote an in-depth article for The New York Times giving her readers a peek into the country club. “A waiter who invariably knows your name–will rush to freshen your drink or push the cashews closer, or lead you and your party to your favorite table…” (Schumer, 2003, p. 3). There is no “no” (Schumer, 2003, p. 4). The staff allows the club to act as a member’s sanctuary, a playground of their own creation. This is the aspect that is specific to a country club. When is comes to a leader and a member, it is all about relationships. In fact, it comes with the saying, “it is all about who you know.” According the Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid, Country Club Management has low concern for production and high concern for people. This supports all conclusions made by observation, Fiedler’s over-arching theory, and the Path-Goal Theory, which in this case resides within.
The country club, although truly only concerned with relationships and members, does have a small microcosm of different leaders within this portion of Fiedler’s theory.
References
Schumer, F. (2003). A peek inside the country club. Retrieved from The New York Times Online.
Penn State World Campus (2013). PSYCH 485 Lesson 6: Contingency and Path Theories. Retrieved on Feb. 17, 2013
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc.
Please note: Late post due to technical difficulties.